First, now that I’ve got your attention, I need to thank all those handsome men and beautiful women who have already generously contributed to our

Ed McClanahan at home, Ace photo

McClanamania Kickstarter project, and to assure them that we’re not trying to put the screws to them again (although I will point out that it’s perfectly legit to contribute more than once, should anyone be so unnaturally inclined). But we do want to encourage our contributors—and everybody else, of course—to continue to pay attention to our progress as we head for the wire, at which we will arrive, come what may, on Tuesday July 17th at precisely 3:13pm.

Meanwhile, is anybody out there old enough to remember S&H Green Stamps? You accumulated them by buying merchandise in certain stores, pasted them in little books until you had a shopping bag or two full of little books, and then hauled them down to a place called, cross my heart, a Redemption Center, where you “redeemed” your stamps for a toaster or a waffle iron or a vacuum cleaner.

So here’s a piece of news that I hope will hearten those who have contributed to McClanamania! and encourage those who are still deliberating to get off the dime: If we meet our goal—that’s ten grand by July 17—we’re planning to have, at a later date still to be determined, a gala Redemption & Fulfillment Party for all our contributors at Johnny Lackey’s wonderful new studio on N. Limestone in Lexington, whereat we’ll distribute the swag to them as has paid for it, and scorn them as hasn’t. (If you contributed but can’t be there, we will of course get your reward to you by other means.)

a gift from Ken Kesey, and they could be yours….

I’ll be on hand to sign and personalize your acquisitions and to do a short reading, and there will be music and plenty of cheap wine and rat cheese and, as door prizes, 5 rare mint-condition hardback signed first-edition copies of A

Our Kickstarter campaign is coming along really well; as of this writing, we’re closing in on the $8000 mark. Our success so far is very exciting, of course, but that leaves $2000 still to go, and only 7 days to get there. So please keep following our progress and cheering us on (that seems to help somehow, it really does), and please keep reminding your friends to get in on the action. Tell ‘em about the Redemption & Fulfillment Party! Tell ‘em their invitation to it is only a mouse-click away!

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